HOW TO BUY RIPPLE (XRP) | BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR BUYING RIPPLE

Ripple XRP, is a cryptocurrency introduced in 2012, that has now become the third most popular cryptocurrency, based on market cap, after Ethereum and Bitcoin. It has recently garnered a lot of attention since its market value reached an all-time high of $3.80 in 2017 and received support from reputed banks all over the world. People all over the world are looking into ways to buy Ripple coin. Since Ripple XRP is being touted as the next big thing in crypto, it is the right time to look into ways of buying Ripple.

This article will give you a complete understanding of how to buy Ripple XRP from different sources and in different ways. Along with buying Ripple, we will help you get a thorough knowledge of what is Ripple, why you should be buying Ripple and how to buy XRP.

Here is the complete list of topics covered in this article:

What is Ripple

Advantages of buying Ripple over other cryptocurrencies

How Ripple Works

Why you should be buying Ripple

How to buy Ripple XRP

Best Ripple wallets to store your Ripple currency

Before we get on with the all important topic of how to buy Ripple XRP, let us first start with what Ripple is and how it works.

WHAT IS RIPPLE?

Ripple is a cryptocurrency (XRP) and a digital payment processing network with a market cap of around $12.88 billion, at the time of writing this article, which is only exceeded by Bitcoin and Ethereum. Ripple was introduced in 2012 by a technology company called Ripple Labs. Unlike Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, it does not require an extensive proof-of-work to verify transactions.

Instead, all transactions are recorded on a common consensus ledger that is monitored by a web of independently validating servers that are continuously comparing records. These servers can belong to anyone, from individuals to banks.

Although Ripple does have its own token currency represented as XRP, any type of currency can be exchanged over Ripple’s blockchain system, RippleNet. This could be fiat currency, other cryptocurrency or even frequent flyer miles, without the processing delays and fees involved with other crypto.

Ripple is mainly used by banks and financial institutions

For low commission currency exchange

As a payment ecosystem for unique transactions

For fast international transactions

RIPPLE VS. OTHER CRYPTOCURRENCIES

To date, Ripple has grown by 7000% since its inception and its market cap has increased by around 7700%. Ripple and its blockchain technology has over 100 banks interested in adopting it. Even American Express is on board with using Ripple.

Ripple has some fundamental differences from other cryptocurrencies which gives it certain advantages over them.

Increased Stability and Predictability

All kinds of investments are subject to certain risks. However, Ripple is considered a comparatively safer because of its association with world banks and financial institutions. One is more likely to trust a technology that is adopted by a bank rather than one which is completely decentralised.

Ripple has signed contracts with banks and companies that allow them t buy and sell XRP at a stable price. Nobody can sell XRP on the marketplace therefore, the price of Ripple will not get influenced by external factors. This also makes Ripple non-volatile.

Ripple has a an excellent five-year history of using stable technology. All ledgers have been closed and the system is controlled by a team of top engineers.

Easier Entry and Ownership

Bitcoin, the market leader in cryptocurrency, has only seen a rise in its value since its advent and the trend is likely to continue. The current value of one Bitcoin is equal to six thousand USD as of August 2018. Due to such a high value, amateur investors will be less likely to invest in Bitcoin.

In comparison, XRP is much cheaper altcoin. For 10 USD, one can buy 44.26 XRP with the current exchange rates. With the same amount of funds, less than one BTC can be purchased. This whole-coin-ownership factor also contributes to the rising interest in Ripple, especially among the older generation which is still new to the concept of digital currency.

Not Merely a Cryptocurrency

Contrary to popular belief, Ripple does not mean to dethrone Bitcoin from its position as the leading cryptocurrency. Bitcoin was created as a means to facilitate easy and secure transactions between individuals without the presence of a central governing authority. In contrast, Ripple is designed for financial institutions such as banks and fast transactions using different commodities.

Ripple’s underlying objective is to trade debt. It is a payments system meant for easier debit and credit transactions. The current Ripple prototype focuses on conversion of fiat currencies which can well be expanded to cryptocoin such as BTC and ETH.

Furthermore, since Ripple is owned by a private company, its operations are more private than that of Bitcoin which functions with a transparent blockchain. This means that any upgrades to the ledger can be implemented easily by getting approval from 80% the developers for a period of two weeks.

Ripple is essentially meant to bridge the gap between mainstream finance and digital currency such as Bitcoin.

Faster, Cheaper Transactions

If we compare the transaction times and fees of the world’s leading three cryptocurrencies, Ripple XRP emerges as the clear winner. For example, in the case of Bitcoin, the average fees for mining is $27 and the average transaction time is 70 minutes. Ethereum, too, takes at least 2 minutes to complete a transaction.

Ripple, on the other hand, has a transaction cost of 0.00001 XRP which is a fraction of a cent. This cost is levied only to stop an opponent from launching a DDoS attack against the Ripple network. Also, the time taken for settling a single transaction is around 4 seconds by using a method of batch processing of transactions before putting them on the ledger.

Currently, Ripple handles around 1500 transactions per second which is only a fraction of its actual capacity of 50000 transactions per second. This is a huge number as compared to Ethereum’s 15 transactions per second and Bitcoin’s 3-6 transactions. Other altcoins also do not come close to Ripple’s scale of operation.

Facilitates Currency Exchanges

As stated above, Ripple is not a mere cryptocurrency. It can aid exchanges between different currencies including Bitcoin. The Ripple protocol is not limited to XRP and can be used with a whole range of crypto and fiat currencies such as USD, Yen, Pound and so on.

HOW DOES RIPPLE WORK?

The first thing to bear in mind in order to understand how Ripple works is the difference between the payment and exchange protocol Ripple and Ripple’s internal digital currency XRP.

Digital Payment Processing System

Ripple is a digital payment processing system that is based on a third-generation blockchain technology called RippleNet.

It is an open-source payment platform that allows peer-to-peer money transactions across the globe in any form whether it is a fiat currency or a cryptocurrency. Ripple was designed keeping financial institutions such as banks in mind to expedite exponentially faster transactions at a much lower cost.

Ripple is based on the concept of a shared consensus ledger which holds information about various cryptographically signed transactions between corporations or individuals using either fiat currencies or Ripple XRP. When XRP is used as the mode of exchange, the internal ledger is used whereas for other currencies, a record of the assets is maintained as debt obligations in an IOU/trust system.

If one user wants to send assets to another user, he/she must find a path of trust between each other. The two users at the end of the path are called gateways.

In the situation that two trusted gateways cannot be found, a path of trust is established by using a chain of gateway intermediaries. The Ripple algorithm finds the shortest path between the gateways or nodes; deciding by consensus the transactions order using a majority vote.

The public ledger of accounts, balances, and IOUs is updated and kept safe by a distributed collection of servers around the world, i.e., user verification protocols and bank services. This makes the entire process decentralised. The data on the public ledger is not linked to any one account or ID and hence privacy is maintained.

The time taken to carry out a transaction is lesser than 5 seconds which is a gigantic improvement on the traditional banking system which typically takes 4-5 days to make a global transaction. The fees to carry out transactions is also minimal compared to current day wire transfer technology. Further, Ripple has the capability to carry out 1500 transactions per second.

Ripple XRP

In the Ripple network, XRP acts as a bridging currency. When transactions are made using XRP, all gateways provide a price in XRP of whatever they’re dealing in. XRP settles immediately and has fewer and smaller transaction fees since fewer intermediaries are required. This is because an entire chain of trust need not be established.

RippleNet currently offers the following programs to businesses and financial institutions to help payments across the globe.

xCurrent: a system to process payments

xRapid: a system to minimize liquidity by using XRP as a bridging currency between fiat currencies

xVia: a system to allow businesses to send payments

WHY YOU SHOULD BE BUYING RIPPLE

In 2017 alone, the price of Ripple has gone up by 3733%. It even reached an all-time high of $3.80, in 2018, where it had started with a value of $0.006 in January 2017. With that said, Ripple XRP is still one of the leading cryptocurrencies that still has a value of less than 1 USD thus making it a tempting choice for small and medium level investors.

Ripple is not merely a digital currency. It is a payments platform and when you invest in XRP, you are also investing in one of the most advanced payment technologies or payment protocols available today. To convince you further, here is a list of reasons why Ripple is the next big thing and why you should be investing in it.

Limited Supply Equals Increased Value

Unlike Bitcoin, which has an unlimited supply and can be mined almost indefinitely, there were only 100 billion XRP created at Ripple’s inception.

Out of these 100 billion, 38 billion are in circulation while the 55 billion XRP that is owned by Ripple have been put into a cryptographically-secured escrow account. This way the scarcity of XRP on the market will decrease and thus the price of XRP will increase.

Further, the cost for each transaction is not paid to any company; but is destroyed so that the number of XRP doesn’t increase. With each transaction, the number of XRP will reduce. With more of Ripple’s tools and currency being adopted by big banks, the value of Ripple will increase further.

Higher Return on Investment

XRP is still a newer currency compared to its competitors, Ethereum and Bitcoin, and is still lesser in value that other currencies. The current value of XRP, at the time of writing this article, is 0.3271 USD.

One reason for XRP remaining cheap is that it is not targeted for individual transactions. The Ripple payment protocol is for carrying out large-scale transactions between world banks. Crypto enthusiasts are hesitant in investing in XRP because it relies on financial corporations to carry out verification of transactions.

Because 100 billion of the coins were issued initially, which is a large number, investors are always uneasy about the fact that the market could be flooded by a large amount of the coins. This fear was eliminated recently by Ripple by securing 55 billion of the coin in their own escrow account.

In time, crypto banks will give you the opportunity to buy and hold XRP, transfer it without any transaction costs and convert it into 23 different fiat currencies and 7 other cryptocurrencies. You can even convert it into other commodities such as precious metals. This will further increase the value of Ripple and your investment will give you great payback.

Advanced Technology

The creators of Ripple intended to create a transaction protocol that could guarantee safe and fast transactions of large amounts of funds between banks.

This is many steps ahead of the current technology, SWIFT, that is being used. Right now, banks need to wait for at least 3-5 days before funds can be transferred to banks abroad using SWIFT. Moreover, the transaction costs are very high especially if a large amount is being transferred.

With Ripple, not just digital currency, but information and other commodities can also be exchanged by using the Ripple protocol.

This is done by using a consensus ledger system where records of transactions are maintained and verified by trustworthy sources or gateway. Ripple aims to create a secure pathway for the which when used correctly, could save financial institutions a lot of money, up to 30%, and time in the transfer of data and money.

XRP was designed using a third-generation blockchain technology, vs. Bitcoin’s first generation, to facilitate as many transactions as possible in the shortest amount of time.

An XRP transfer can take place in just 4 seconds with a capacity of performing 1500 transfers per second. Moreover, this is just a fraction of the real capability of XRP which can be scaled to 50000 transactions per second. Compare this to ETH with 2+ minutes for a single transfer and 15 transfers per second or BTC with 10-20 minutes per transfer and 7 transfers per second. The superior technology should clearly be a good enough reason to buy Ripple.

Widespread Support from Banks and other Financial Institutions

Ripple technology is on its way to be adopted by nearly 80 banks around the world with major international banks, such as the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Netherland’s Central Bank, already vouching for Ripple. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ripple is on its way to transforming the entire financial sector at a scale that has never been seen before.

If banks take up Ripple transfer protocol along with the XRP currency, they can save up to 60% in transfer costs compared to the 30% they would save if they take up XRP alone. This is enough incentive for banks to start using Ripple technology.

For example, the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) and SBI Remit, have started roll-out of Ripple for transactions. Anyone who lives in Japan can instantly send money in Yen to anyone else living in Thailand with a SCB savings account. This has saved users the 5-7% transfer costs as well the waiting time of up to 2 days.

Notable exchanges, around 60 in number, such as the Bithum in South Korea as well as money transfer companies such as Western Union and Moneygram. There is also a growing pipeline of businesses that is interested in using Ripple.

Recognised Investors

It is no secret that Ripple has established itself in the digital currency world in a short span of time. This can be attributed to its recognised list of investors and the talented development team.

The two founders of Ripple, Chris Larsen and Jed McCaleb, were able to invite venture capitalists and high-level investors by using networking. In a single funding round, Ripple was able to rake in 55 million USD.

Google being one of the leading investors is enough cause to see the potential in both the Ripple currency and the payment and exchange protocol. Other notable investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Ventures and FF Angel IV.

HOW TO BUY RIPPLE

Even though Ripple XRP is one of the most lucrative currencies to purchase in 2018, it is still not available on popular coin exchanges such as Coinbase. There are two easy and straightforward ways one can buy Ripple. Before you begin, you should already have a Ripple wallet with a valid wallet address that you can use to transfer funds to. You should also have a government-approved photo identification.

Buying Ripple XRP directly by using USD

You can buy Ripple directly from one of its supported exchanges using the US dollar and your bank account or your bank credit/debit card. However, this method is not as popular as using other cryptocurrencies for buying Ripple. This is because not many exchanges support buying XRP directly by using USD.

Buying Ripple XRP by exchanging for other currencies

Buying Ripple XRP by using an exchange to buy Ether or Bitcoin first and then exchanging it for XRP is a very popular approach. This is because a lot more online exchanges support this process rather than buying XRP using USD or any other fiat currency.

To buy XRP using BTC, one can make use of Coinbase or Coinmama to purchase BTC and then Binance or Bittrex to exchange it for XRP.

Three methods of buying XRP are explained below:

Buying XRP using USD (bank transfer) on Bitstamp

Buying XRP using USD (credit/debit card) on Changelly

Buying XRP using USD (credit/debit card) by exchanging with Bitcoin on Coinmama→Binance

Click on the Register option on the upper right corner of the homepage.

Type in your details such as first name, last name, email address, etc.

Note: You will be sent a verification link on your email which will bring you back to the login page.

Enter your email ID and password and click on Login.

You will be asked to change your password for security reasons after which you can move on to authenticating your account.

Click on Verify Account from the left side panel at the bottom of the page.

You will be asked to enter your identification information such as your name, address and date of birth. Be careful that you enter the information exactly as it appears on your official proof of identity.

Confirm if you are a US citizen.

Upload the images of your ID and address proof by clicking on Choose File. Also enter the correct information about the ID you have uploaded.

Click on Submit Verification Request.

Note: The verification process might take a while. You will receive an email notification once the verification is complete.

Once the verification is complete,

Click on Deposit at the top of your account page.

You should choose your deposit method as International Bank from the left panel since you wish to deposit in USD.

Enter the amount you will be sending and other the details asked for.

Click on Deposit.

Note: You will have to transfer the funds yourself from your bank account using a wire trasnfer order at your bank. Bitstamp will not automatically send funds just by clicking deposit.

Once you have funds in your Bitstamp account,

To start buying Ripple, click on Buy/Sell at the top of the page.

In the upper left corner, choose XRP/USD from the drop-down menu.

Bitstamp allows you to buy/sell XRP in different ways:

Instant Order: Buy XRP instantly at the current market price.

Limit Order: Buy XRP at a specified price at a time when the market price meets the specified price.

Market Order: Buy XRP at the best market price possible.

Stop Order: Buy XRP once a specified entry/exit point is surpassed in the market.

Trailing Stop Order: Adjusts the trigger price of the stop order by following the market movements.

Limit Order, where you can set the price at which you want to buy yourself

Market Buy, where you can buy the XRPat the best price possible in the market

It is much easier to select the Market option since you will be given the best price possible.

Click on Buy XRP→Market

Type in the amount of XRP you want to buy under the Amount box and then press Buy.

To check if the XMR has been deposited in your account, click on Funds→Deposit Withdrawals.

Type XRP in the search box and you will be able to see your XRP.

It is important that after buying Ripple XRP, you don’t store your coin on any of these exchanges for an extended period of time. You should trasnfer them into an XRP wallet as fast as possible to ensure they remain safe and secure.

BEST RIPPLE WALLETS

One common feature of all XRP wallets is that they have a reserve of 20 XRP that cannot be taken out. This is a condition set by the Ripple network to prevent spammers from pushing fake transactions into the network.

This is one of the reasons you should figure out which wallet is best from the beginning to prevent spending 20 XRP on each wallet.

Here are three of the best digital wallets that are useful for storing XRP:

Ledger Nano S

Toast Wallet

Exarpy

Ledger Nano S

Ledger Nano S is a multicurrency hardware wallet that tops the list of wallet recommendations everywhere.

Like all wallets, it stores your private and public keys and protects them from hacking since it is not connected to any public networks. It is best known for its tamper-proof body and its ability to withstand sophisticated attacks. It has a solid build of stainless steel and plastic and can be carried everywhere as well.

All you have to do, to access your codes and carry out transactions, is to connect it to your computer via the USB port. It can be connected to all kinds of operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux and even Chromebooks.

Toast Wallet

Toast Wallet is a free, open-source Ripple XRP wallet that can be run on many different operating systems such as Android and iOS for mobile as well as Windows, Mac OSX and Linux on a desktop.

The Toast Wallet is best known for its simple interface. It also boasts of three levels of security by using a PIN, a passphrase and a recovery phase in case you forget the first two. It is an extremely safe way to keep your keys since it does not connect to any external servers except the Ripple network. You can also create a backup of the Toast Wallet and even import backups of your other XRP wallets into it.

Toast Wallet is available for download free of charge on their website.

Exarpy

The Exarpy wallet is a web-based desktop and mobile wallet that can be used to store public and private keys and carry out transfers of Ripple XRP.

It is well protected from hacking and scams by using a PIN code. This is a 16 digit code which is linked to your account and encrypted for added security. Moreover, Exarpy does not hold any records of XRP transactions and only relays transactions back and forth between the Ripple network and the user.

Exarpy charges a flat fees of 0.025 XRP per transaction which includes the Ripple Network transaction costs.

CONCLUSION

Ripple is inherently different from other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Not only is it a digital currency in itself, it is also an innovative enterprise solution for frictionless global payments. Dozens of banks and financial institutions have already lent their support to Ripple with plenty others to follow suit.

Ripple could very well revolutionise the way in which banking works today to give way to a more seamless, less expensive and incredibly fast system for both institutions and individuals alike.